Kira reached for her ki. A sharp zap of pain blocked the attempt as the vestiges of her soul’s breath scattered, sliding out of her grip before she could fully grasp it.
Blood trickled out of her nose.
Kira wobbled, fighting to remain standing after the backlash.
Elise tsked. “I wouldn’t if I were you. You won’t be able to access your ki. This is the Mea’Ave’s domain.”
Kira wiped away the blood with the back of her hand. “That’s regrettable.”
If that was the case, she wouldn’t be able to use the akieri either. Knowing Elise, she’d have some sort of insurance. A weapon of some kind.
Worse—she was as dangerous as Kira in her own way.
Movement flickered in the darkness of the tunnel. Graydon slipped out of the shadows, a ghost as he nodded once at her before letting the shadows wrap around him to conceal his presence.
Something in Kira settled at the knowledge she wasn’t alone. Backup had arrived. Though the situation was no less dangerous than it had been a moment ago.
“Why are you doing this?” Kira asked as a distraction.
Though her question was sincere. Elise had gone pretty far maintaining this cover of hers. To the extent of betraying her friends.
Because make no mistake, that’s what this was. A betrayal.
“I thought you would have figured that out by now.” Aeron’s voice bounced off the walls of the chamber, making it impossible to distinguish where he was standing.
Everything in Kira tightened as she scanned her surroundings for signs of the general. She found none. Only an empty room, Aeron completely hidden from sight.
Kira could only hope he’d missed Graydon’s arrival, but she wouldn’t hold her breath.
Luck didn’t seem to be on her side today.
“I told you to head for the transport already,” Elise said with a chiding sigh.
The loving indulgence in her tone as she spoke to someone who should have been their enemy was just one more slap to the face.
“I was curious to see how this would end. Does the Phoenix win or Sunshine?” Aeron drawled.
The wanderer, quiet until now, shifted closer to the sphere.
Elise’s gaze found him instantly. “I wouldn’t.”
The wanderer froze.
Kira took the opportunity to start toward Elise, only to come to an abrupt halt an instant later as Elise removed a hand from her pocket to point the Tsavitee weapon humans had dubbed the sleeper at Kira.
“I’m sure I don’t have to explain what this is,” Elise said.
No, she didn’t.
Kira didn’t take her eyes off that device, a cold sweat breaking out along her neck and back.
“Don’t worry. It won’t kill you,” Elise assured her.
No, it’d just put her into a coma. The length of which no one could predict. Days. Years. Maybe decades.
Then there were those who didn’t wake up at all. They just languished in sleep until their body finally failed, never once having opened their eyes again.
“I didn’t want to have to use this. I know how much you lost during your long coma.”
